Dance of the Sith

Chapter 2 - You Got Nothin' On Me

Ventress shrugs. "She's too young to be in a fight like this, on either side. And they neglected to tell me that little bit of information. Typical."

"They sent you after Leia specifically?" he demands, fear and anger flooding him instantly. She's not an unknown figure, but she only started fighting recently, and she's not that well known either.

"Specifically, they sent me after your favorite Inquisitor sidekick," she replies, "What's with you always being trailed by little girls?"

As if he's going to tell her the real reason.

"I'm not little," Leia grumbles.

"You're tinier than his last pet, actually," she retorts, smirking.

Speaking of Ahsoka, Vader needs a moment with Leia. "Since you willingly came onto an Imperial ship, I assume you're willing to give whatever information you do have about the Rebellion," he says, finally.

"I could be persuaded to," she muses. For money, she likely means.

"I have matters to attend to right now," he replies, shortly, "We will discuss this more later."

"As you wish," Ventress drawls, entirely unperturbed. Maybe she really is telling the truth, or this is a bold move. Only time will tell.

***

Vader pulls Leia into a hug the moment they're behind closed doors, the moment he can be certain no one dangerous is around to see. Everyone – or at least most people – aboard his Star Destroyer know who she is, but it's still not something they make obvious.

She hugs him back just as desperately, clinging to him.

"Are you alright?" he asks again, gloved hand pressing her closer. With how close he came to losing her, it helps to be able to hold her like this.

"Yeah," Leia promises, head resting against his chest, "I'm right here, aren't I?"

"It... was close," Vader replies, "If you would like a break to focus on your training..."

"It's okay," she assures, "But maybe I can practice more for space battles."

Vader entirely agrees with that. Even if she's on the field, in space can be... dangerous, and she's not as good with ships as he is, even if he has no doubt she could be when she has more experience. And he... doesn't want Ahsoka and Leia in a position to be fighting each other either; it's terrifying how easily that could happen.

"Is something else wrong?" Leia asks, when he reluctantly lets go of her, and she steps back.

Fondness momentarily flares through him at the question; she's always fast to sense things like that. "Yes," he admits, "I sensed Ahsoka with the rebel fleet."

Leia stills, shock flitting across her face. "Ahsoka was there?"

"She was reaching for me, along with some other Jedi, likely to determine my identity," he replies.

"Why would she fight for the Rebellion?" Leia asks, and there's an underlying note of almost-hurt in her voice.

With all the damage they've done to the galaxy, he doesn't want to think about why she'd side with them either, but he... truthfully expected it. "She was still raised a Jedi, and we are Sith, something she was always taught to be evil. And she may not realize the full extent of the damage the Rebellion is causing." Ahsoka always saw things in black and white. If she started out angry at the Empire for what happened to the Jedi, without realizing why it happened, Vader can see why she would never have left the fight. That's why he has to find her, talk to her.